• CHERYL G. CRUZ
Seventy-four centenarians from Negros Occidental and 17 from Bacolod City were among the 403 elderly who received P100,000 in cash gift each, or a total of P40.3 million in 2023, from the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
“We are happy because we have brought joy to the elderly, particularly the centenarians. We treasure them and we give so much credit to them in rearing us,” Atty. Carmeno Nochete, DSWD director in Western Visayas, said in a statement, adding the program is under Republic Act 10868, or the Centenarians Act of 2016.
Nochete said this law honors Filipinos, who have reached the age of 100 years old, whether residing in the Philippines or abroad. “This is our way of honoring the people who came before us. They have contributed in our society, be it small or big. We are grateful to them.”
Aside from the 91 recipient-centenarians from Bacolod and Negros Occidental, the DSWD said 49 elderly also received the cash gift in Aklan; 32 in Antique, 61 in Capiz, 11 from Guimaras, 20 from Iloilo City, and 139 from Iloilo province.
RA 10868 provides that centenarians will receive awards and incentives that include a cash gift of P100,000 and a Letter of Felicitation signed by the President of the Philippines, through the DSWD.
Local government units are also directed to give similar recognition and honor to their centenarians.
In Bacolod, the Ladderized Cash Incentive Centenarian Award Ordinance, passed on Nov. 6, 2019, provides that residents 80 to 89 years old will each receive P10,000, another P10,000 for those 90 to 99, and the remaining P80,000 given to those who will reach 100 years old.
The incentive was ladderized so that beneficiaries may be able to enjoy this cash gift even before they reach the age of 100.
The DSWD6, meanwhile, assured that it is fast tracking the processing of cash gifts for target beneficiaries this year. | CGC
